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Topic: New Hives...Do I have a problem? (Read 5276 times)

I DO wear my reading glasses and it doesn't help. I had such a hard time with reading glasses under my veil that I bought at pair of reading sunglasses that have a reading lens in the lower part. I wear them under my veil....

Again, though, the easiest way to see the eggs at least at the beginning is with a camera.

Linda T, mourning the camera that I destroyed today

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http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You never can tell with bees" - Winnie the Pooh

I DO wear my reading glasses and it doesn't help. I had such a hard time with reading glasses under my veil that I bought at pair of reading sunglasses that have a reading lens in the lower part. I wear them under my veil....

I couldn't see a thing without my glasses. They're a PITA under the veil, but I've got to have them on. Do the sunglass type help?

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Again, though, the easiest way to see the eggs at least at the beginning is with a camera.

Linda T, mourning the camera that I destroyed today

I sense a story here ;)

Edited to add: Nevermind, I found your story. Sorry about your camera! :'( But enjoy the new one! :)

Yes, I went out to add a box to my weak hive - it's gray and cold (should have noted that) in Atlanta. Opened the weak hive and it has bees everywhere.

I meanwhile have on my veil and have absentmindedly set down both gloves and camera on the deck rail. The girls angry at an intrusion on a cold, gray day, sting me on each exposed hand so I grab the gloves and the camera and put on the gloves, trapping a bee under one of my gloves who stings the daylights out of my arm and I drop the camera, on and with its lens sticking out. The camera crashes to the deck, never to work again.

Guess there are a number of lessons there:Wear my gloves,Put camera (when replaced - this one has breathed its last) on a strap around neckNever take a weak hive for grantedNever open a hive on a gray, cold day and expect friendly, placid bees.

And I'm sure there are many others,

Linda T, always learning the hard way in Atlanta

Note: Sorry to be repetitive with the story - the answer to the sunglasses question is I like them better because they stay up on your nose, unlike reading glasses designed to be halfway down. So the sunglasses are more firmly in place and I can still get good close vision through the bottom reader area.

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http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"You never can tell with bees" - Winnie the Pooh

Ok, It has been 10 days since I installed my two new packages. One looks great, have seen the queen and am seeing what I think are eggs, and I also see some capped brood. They are drawing the perco nicely.In the other hive, I have not seen the queen yet. When I installed both packages, I put in some capped brood from another hive. All the brood has hatched and I see nothing that looks like an egg. Some of the cells now have honey in them, some have yellow stuff in them (pollen?), and others have clear liquid. I assume this is the sugar syrup that I have been feeding them. They don't seem to be drawing the perco as agressively as the other hive. Does this data tell you anything? thanks in advance, Steve

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Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Asprince. When a hive is queenless, the hum that the colony makes is quite different than the quiet happy hum. I have heard it described as more of a roaring sound.

You must find out really soon if the colony is queenright. If the queen is not there, you must give them a new queen really quickly. They do not have any larvae in the hive young enough to raise a queen with. Or you could take a frame from another hive that has eggs and let them raise a new queen. But that takes about one month time before you have a new laying queen. If you can spare a month's time, let them raise their own, if not, purchase another queen.

You could also unite this colony (if it is queenless, you must ascertain that firstly) with the newspaper method with the other package. That would give you lots of bees for the honey flow. You may even get lots of honey this year if you unite the two. More bees, more honey.

Since it has been 10 days since the package hiving (that is quite a long time in the eyes of the bees), if it is queenless, I would unite the two packages. My two cents, look for others two cents and then make decisions.

I think that Beekeeperrookie has the good idea of taking a picture of the brood nest and seeing if you can see eggs that way. Do you have a digital camera? I hope you do.

Have a wonderful day, go to work hard and find out if it is queenright, however you have to do it. Great health. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

I checked the hive very closely again today, full sunlight and wearing my reading glasses. No queen, no eggs, and no brood. I called Rossmans and ordered a new queen. It will be here Monday. They told me that after 13 days, I should see eggs and brood. If not, I either have a non laying queen or no queen. They also said that I have to be absolutely positive that I do do have a queen of any kind before installing the new one. I have checked and rechecked (she was marked) and all the signs point to queenless, BUT, how can I be sure? Any Suggestions. Anything I need to do for or to them until the queen arrives?

Steve

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Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Check again, this time use as little smoke as possible. If you smoke to much they will hide the queen. If you can use no smoke. Then go through each frame one at a time. Not putting them back until you have gone through each one. If you don't see her then you can be certain she has hit the road.

Sincerely,Brendhan

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The status is not quo. The world is a mess and I just need to rule it. Dr. Horrible

Four day old larvae, unlike eggs, are large and easy to see and unlike queens, do not try to hide. If you don't have those after a reasonable period then you don't have a laying queen, which probably means you don't have a queen at all.

Steve. Good that you have checked so hard, I kind of think that you don't have the queen. Good for you, when the time comes you will be very good at searching for the eggs.

Michael is correct with the search of the larvae. By now you should definitely be seeing larvae, if she was present. The larvae are very easily seen. The four day old ones look like a fat "C" laying in the bottom of the cell. Look for that.

Your gonna love this new world of beekeeping. Every time you work with your hives you will learn something new and watching them will bring you joy that you could not believe. These are such an enlightening peace of harmony to one's life. The communal effort of all these little girls for the benefit of their kingdom is something to behold. Have a wonderful day, enjoy your new look into a happy colony of bees, good health. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

I am so thankfull that I found this forum! I have learned so much and have received so much expert help and advice. I have been building building top entrance/vents all morning. It gets very hot here in Georgia in July and August....lets say 95-100+F with high humidity. From what I saw with my first hive last year, I think my girls will appreciate it. I see from your profile that you are from B.C. Canada. I have been to B.C. and Alberta several times and long to go back. My wife and I would love to live there. Steve

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Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Steve, you will love this forum. You will also find that you are addicted to it. I know for surely that I am, it brings me excellent advice, a place to tell my stories, listen to the stories of other people. The most wonderful thing of all...it is a safe place to be. There is no ugly thoughts that are displayed here, simply wonderful people that are involved in beautiful pieces of life, bees, farms, animals, home grown food, and a myriad of other wonderful things. I am a rambler, you will soon find that out.

Your girls will love the vents, hot air rises, and if it is too hot, the vents will be like air conditioners for sure.

I know in my greenhouse, when I open the top vents, the rush of hot air that rises can be felt on my face, the temperature reduces by about 10 degrees in a few minutes, and even more as the moments pass. Picture the size of a colony box and how hot it must get....need say no more. Good that you are now paying so much attention to the future of your girls and their lives.

I live in southwestern B.C., about 45 km from the ocean. We are fairly warm in winter, always lots of rain and lots of sunshine too. I have heard it to be said that we live in a raiinforest, and I picture this as a jungle, but not so hot and humid. It is always beautiful and green, all year around. We have many deciduous trees. It is beautiful in spring to watch the brown branches turn into full deep foliage. Many places are similar with these deciduous trees, but of course, I am bias.

Curiosity reigns, what part of B.C. did you travel to? Our climate can change so much within just a few hundred kilometres.

We were in Kelowna, visiting our wonderful oldest daughter for the Easter weekend. She lives about 300 km away. Their area is dust now. They have little rain. That is how intense the climate can change in such a short distance away. I would not change my habitat for all the tea in China. What an old cliche, huh? Have a wonderful night, wonderful day, and best wishes of good health. Cindi

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There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

I received my replacement queen today from Rossmans. I did not want to waste any more time so I installed her today. I checked again to be sure that the hive was indeed queenless. I pulled each frame out, checked both sides and place them in another box. I then checked the empty hive and rechecked each frame as I placed them back in the hive. Saw no queen, no eggs and no brood. Bees were flying every where. I took the new queen out of the truck and proceeded to remove the cork and suspend her in the hive. The girls were all over the cage. I then closed up the hive. Within a minute of closing the hive, all the flying bees went in the hive and the hive started humming. It was a soft uniform hum. Does this mean that they are happy? I will check on her this weekend and see if she is happy and laying. Steve

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Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

Steve, the bees were probably very grateful to have this beautiful lady brought to them. Sounds like they were indeed queenless. They know that without a queen, their hive is doomed, no eggs, for surely it would have been doomed, they could not have possibly begun to raise a new queen for their kingdom.

That hum you heard, that is the sound of a happy hive. When the hive is queenless, it is said that the bees no longer issue that beautiful humming sound, the sound of happiness. The sound that they make is more of a "roaring" sound. Now I know that that sounds like a lion would be among them, but that must be the closest way of describing the hive sound. I have heard it. I know it is a totally different sound than the regular colony noises.

As with all things in life. Listening is a very important tool, be it listening to what people say, or listening to the sounds of the hives. I love that beautiful sound of the hive, it is one of peace and harmony, thousands and thousands of little beings, all working together to make an environment that is cohesive, all working toward common goals. Oh ya, ramblin'. Best of this beautiful day, rock on!!!! Good health. Cindi

Logged

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

I checked on my hives today. The hive where I installed the new queen on monday was doing fine. The new queen was in control. Now for the other hive. Lots if capped brood, larva, honey, and a CAPPED QUEEN CELL. This package was installed on 3/31. Why are they building a queen cell? Are they getting ready to swarm so soon? My new queen is clipped, she can't fly. What will happen of this queen cell is allowed to hatch? I don't think it will be a good thing. Saturday,I plan to move the frame with the queen cell to another hive that is presently queenless and with no brood. I was in this hive last week (wednesday) and did not see the queen cell. If I understand Michael's bee math, I have around 16 days before she emerges. Correct?

Logged

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resembalance to the first. - Ronald Reagan

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold. The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold. The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, but the queerest they ever did see, what the night on the marge of Lake Lebarge, I cremated Sam McGee. Robert Service

asprince; The hive that has the capped queen cell, where on the frame is the q/cell located? top-center-bottom? The location of the cell on the frame most of the time will tell what the hive intends to do.

Cells located on the bottom of the frame are most likely swarm cells. Cells anywhere else are supercedure cells. I would think you have a queen [due to the short she has been in the hive] being superceded.